Electrical vote-recorder



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

S.D.LOGKE. v ELECTRICAL VOTE RECORDER.

Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

WITNESSES M m m.

m: NORRIS puns 00., mam-mum, wAsnmaTou, o. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S.D.LOGKE.

v BLBGTRIUAL VOTE RECORDER. No. 442,12.6. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

gwvwykoz tghdzf a 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

S. D. LOOKE. ELECTRICAL VOTE RECORDER.

No. 442,126. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

a M 9 8 q o 7 INVENTOR. Wfii WITNESSES Tu: mums Finns cm, PHOTO-HTML. wAsmNm-on, n. m

(No ModeL) 4 SheetsShet 4.

S. D. LOGKE. ELECTRICAL VOTE RECORDER.

N0.'442,126. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

I I III/IIIIII/ INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.

"m: NORRIS Pgfefls co., moro-u-mm, WASHINGYDN, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVANUS D. LOOKE, or I-IOOSICK FALLS, NEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL VOTE-RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,126, dated December 9, 1890. Application filed May '7, 1889. Serial No- 309,944=. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,SYLVANUSD.LOCKE, of Hoosick Falls, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Vote-Recorders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. I

The invention relatesto mechanism for the automatic taking and registering of the votes, whether aye or nay, of the members of a legislative or deliberative body while they are in their seats and making a record thereof, and in carryingit out I propose, first, to locate the aye and nay keys for each members desk in a closed compartment of such desk, where they may be kept under lock, in order that they may not be tampered with during his absence whenever a vote isbeing taken; second, and more particularly, to place such keys upon the under side of the cover of the desk and to identify them suitably to the sight, as by plates immediately above them on top of the desk, respectively marked Aye and Nay, or words or characters to that effect; third, to employ a peculiar system of short circuits connecting each desk with the annunciator and operated by a battery secured in a compartment of said desk; fourth, to combine with a series of desks an indexboard divided into compartments or squares numbered to correspond with the desks, and having in each compartment two bindingposts, respectively, identified to correspond with the aye and nay keys of the desk; fifth, to combine with each desk and the aye and nay keys an annunciator or register having two magnets and armatures, one for each key, an intermediate indexboard having compartments numbered to correspond to the numberof the respective desks, and two binding-posts in each compartment, one for each key, line-wires leading from each key to its correspond ing binding-post, and a switch-wire leading from the corresponding magnet to said post, whereby the magnets may register with the name of the member, irrespective of the number of his desk, to combine with an annunciator-case provided with a series of shelves, one above another, a series of armatures,'with their magnets mounted upon said stepped shelves, one series above another,

sidewise, that the longer needle or register of the armature in alowerseries may be brought close alongside the corre pondingly shorter needle or register of the armature in an upper series, a perforated registering-plate through which said needles or registers pass in lines, and a lid or cover which holds the votingsheet upon said plate; finally,to employ certain novel combinations and features of construction, as hereinafter described, and which so far as they are novel, are particuularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a legislative hall or assembly-chamber. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of one of the desks shown in the preceding figure. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the preferable way of connecting the voting-keys and the battery attached to each desk to the annunciator. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the indexboard. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the clerks desk through the annuuciator and the index-board. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the binding-posts on the index-board. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of the clerks desk at right angles to Fig. 5 through the annunciator, and showing the index-board in position. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 7 showing one of the magnets with its armature and puncturing-needle in normal position. Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but with the armature drawn to the magnet and the needle puncturing the voting sheet or list. Fig. 10 is a cross-section through the cover of the annunciator, showing the voting-sheet in position and held in place by the closed cover;

and Fig. 10 is a small detail view of the keys.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the annunciator after a vote has been taken, with a portion of the cover-plate broken away. ,Fig. 11 is a small detail of the frame Q. of the box-lid.

Like letters represent like parts in all of the figures.

A represents the desks, only the one in the immediate foregroun B is the clerks desk, 0 the speakers desk,

and D the aununciator. F, G, H, and I represent the circular steps or landings on which the seats and desks are located. Each desk should have, in some place convenient for the member occupying it, two

d, Fig. 1, being lettered.

droo

ordinary electric push-buttons, by which I mean any suitable key. That they may be sufficiently convenient, and yet be where they cannot be tampered with, I prefer to put them on the under side of the cover above the drawer, as shown by a b, Fig. 2. As in this position they can only be reached by partly pulling out the drawer, they may be said to be under the members lock and key.

\Vhen it is desired to operate the push-buttons, the drawer is first unlocked and pulled out far enough to allow a finger to be inserted in the drawer under the cover of the desk, where the buttons are. Of course they may be put in any position where the member can operate them. There should be two of these buttons, one for use it the member votes atfirmatively and one if he votes negatively. If placed under the cover, I identify and locate them suitably to the eye-as, for instance, by putting immediately above them on top of the cover two plates, the one for a-ffirmative votes, (marked Aye,) and the one for negative votes, (marked Nay,) as shown by a and 1), Figs. 1 and 2.

The current of electricity to operate the electro-magnets in the annunciator may be furnished by a power to operate all that is, to allow all of the desks of the magnets at onecone of the push-buttons from to be operated together. I prefer, however, to put each desk in a circuit by itself and to place a small battery in each circuit, say under each desk, where it cannot be tampered with by others when the occupant is about to vote. This battery should have three or four cells 7.: inclosed in a battery-box E, that has a door 9 swingingon hinges 2' and secured by hook h. This shortcireuit plan is shown. in Fig. 3, in which Z represent-s a single circuit or common wire that joins by wire at the negative pole of each 10- cal battery E to one end of each of the magnets in the annunciator, each member having a magnet for affirmative and one for negative votes. The wire a, running from the positive pole of each battery, divides into two wires that run to the push-buttons a and b, from which run the wires 0 and p, respectively, t0 the aye binding-post t and the nay binding-postu of an index-board J, from which posts, respectively, run the wires 0 and p to the affirmative and negative vote magnets in the annuneiator. The wires 0 and p run to binding-posts on the square on the indexboard having the same number as the desk from whose push-buttons they run.

The index-board is located near the annunciator and is used solely to keep the wires from the seats or desks separate, and so they can be identified at any time. This index-board is very desirable, if not necessary, where the voting-sheets containing a list of the members are arranged alphabetically, and where the members choose their seats by lot or otherwise. In this ease the member whose name single battery of suflicient- I per banks.

is first on the alphabetical list might occupy any other than seat No. l.

\Vith the use of the index-board the hall or assembly-chamber may be permanently wired by joining each seat to the square on the index-board having the same number as the seat, (or desk.) After this is done it is only necessary, after the members have chosen their seats and an alphabetical list has been made, to run the wires 0' and p from the affirmative and negative magnets corresponding to the alphabetical position of a member on the voting-sheet to the square on the index-board of the same number as his seat. Of course there will be as many squares on the index-board as there are seats, and there will be two properly-identitied binding-posts to each square.

In the annunciator D, I place twice as many magnets S as there are members of the deliberative or legislative body whose votes the annunciator is designed to register. These magnets may be arranged in any desired manner; but I prefer to arrange them substantially as shownthat is, in several series or banks one above another, the magnets of each series being arranged side to side and close together on a shelf or table 1', and. the several series with their shelves placed one above another, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. 3y this arrangement the magnets of each series are made to pass by or shelve laterally (as to their armatures) over those immediately below them, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to mass the needles or registering devices that are actuated by the armatures x. The magnets s are fastened, preferably, to the plate 7" below them, and the armatures a: are fulerumed on the raised ledges or fulcrnms ac, and have their outer ends, to which are attached the puncturingneedles y or registering devices, weighted or spring-pressed, so as to stand normallyin the position shown in Fig. 8, with the pointed ends of the needles held in the circular guide-holes in the upper or registering plate a", as shown in Figs. 8 and 10. When a push-button is pressed, the magnet draws down the armature and forces up the needle, as shown in Fig. 9. The needles from all the magnets terminate and areheld and guided in the registering-plate, and consequently those from the lowest banks of armatures must be correspondingly lengthened to bring their points on a level with those of the up- These plates 0' and r are secured in proper position by being riveted or bolted to end plates 7', and the whole is preferably inclosed by an ornamental wooden box D q, that is fastened to the plates 0" and has the part q fastened to plate 9'. cover or lid having an outer frame q and a panel g. This panel is made of glass or some transparent material, and is of the same size as the raised portion of the registering-plate r, and both correspond in size to that of the alphabetical list q' of members. This list On the top is a IIO i cover has its frame q "Instead of the panel, a series of bars arand print Aye or evident, also, that any affirmative and negative words, signs, or symbols expressing affirmation or negation other than those hereto fore used in this specification may be employed upon the voting-keys, voting-sheets, index-board, or annunciator.

may be arranged with the names in oneor more columnsl In Fig.11 it'is shown with the names arranged in two columns or lines, and witha column for ayes and another for nays opposite the names. The puncturingneedles are arranged in columns directly under these aye and nay columns on the printed alphabetical list of members, and are spaced apart exactly as are the names on lists. The f hinged to the top q of the box. The panel q is pierced with holes y to allow the needles to pierce the lists q, as shown in Fig. 9. The panel holds the list down while it is being punctured, and at the same time allows the clerk to watch the vote.

by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an assembly-chamber, a series of desks for the members, each of which is provided with two electric push-buttons or keys underneath the cover, one for the aye and the other for the nay vote, and with suitable identifying and localizing devices for said keys above the cover.

2. In an assembly-chamber, a series of desks for the members, each of which is provided with two electric push-buttons or keys underneath the cover, and with twoindicating-plates on top of the cover over the buttons, one marked Ayeand the other marked Nay, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an assembly-chamber, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a series of desks provided with aye and nay keys, an index-board laid out into numbered compartments corresponding to each of said desks and with two binding-posts in each compartment, one for the aye and one for the nay key, independent wires leading from said keys to the corresponding bindingposts in that division of the index-board bearing the number of the respective desk, an annunciator containing magnets and armatures, two for each desk, and corresponding to the alphabetical occupant of that desk, and switch-wires leading from such magnets to the binding-posts upon the index-board in the numbered compartment of that desk.

4. In an assembly-chamber, the combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with a series of desks provided with electric push-buttons or keys and wires leading from the desks, of the annunciator-case provided with a series of shelves, one above another, a series of magnets and armat ures with regis tering devices stepped laterally to mass the registering devices, a perforated registeringplate through which said registering devices pass, and a lid or cover which holds the voting sheet upon said plate.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set. forth, of a pair of magnets with their armatures, a single common wire for said magnets, a branch wire therefrom connected with the negative pole of a local battery, a wire leading from the positive pole of said battery and split at a suitable point into two line-wires leading to contact-points of electric keys, and wires leading from said keys to one set of binding-posts on a switchboard divided into numbered compartments, and wires leading from the other end of said bindingposts to the respective magnets, whereby the current can be thrown to either magnet by pressing upon one or the other key.

6. An annunciator-ease provided with a ranged in a suitable frame to form a cover may be used to hold the list down. In this case I would make the plate 0" level or without any raised part, and would have the top (1 bound the size of the list, which would be just the size of the cover.

Instead of theregisteringdevice being made needle-pointed or puncturing the list to indicate the vote, it is evident that the top of the registering device may have a type-face Nay, or any other desired characters, opposite the name of the member to indicate his voting pleasure. In this case the clerk could not tell without raising the cover-and lifting the voting-sheet who or how any one had voted.

The operation .is as follows: On the announcement by the speaker or presiding officer of, say, Are you ready for the question, the clerk will raise the cover of the annunciator and put in a voting sheet or list and clamp it securely in position on the registering-plate r by closing the cover thereon. Then on the presiding officer announcing, All in favor of the motion (or resolution, or whatever be the question) will vote aye and those opposed nay, or any other appropriate formula, each member will press one of the push-buttons in his desk, an aye or nay button, as he may'desire to vote aye or nay on the question, when, the circuit between his battery and the corresponding magnet in the annunciator being closed, a hole will be punched or a registering-mark be made in the aye or nay column opposite his name in the voting-list. All members can vote simultaneously, and therefore a vote can be taken almost instantaneously.

By voting-sheet I mean the list of members used by the clerk in taking an aye and nay vote, and by assembly-chamber thel meeting-place of any legislative or deliberative body. I

I do not limit myself to the details of the within described manner of applying the forces electricity and electro-magnetism to taking and registering aye and nay votes in deliberative bodies. It is evident that as to features of my invention many changes in the apparatus and devices shown may be made and still be within the scope thereof. It is What I claim, and what I desire to secure series of shelves, one above another, a series forated registering-plate through which the of armature-s with their magnets mounted needles or registers pass, and a lid or cover to upon said shelves, one series above another, which holds the Voting-sheet upon said plate. stepped laterally as to the armetures, that T T l I GK 5 the longer needle or register of an armature SK AL Us D 0 in a lower series may be brought close along- WVitnesses: side the corresponding shorter needle or reg- E. J. LOOKE,

ister of an armatu rein an upper series, a per- \VILLIAM POUREE, Jr. 

